VirginiaElectric utilities; energy storage requirements, Department of Energy to develop model ordinance.
What it does
Electric utilities; energy storage resources; Department of Energy to develop model ordinances; State Corporation Commission to conduct technology demonstration program. Increases the targets for energy storage capacity that Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy Virginia are required to petition the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) for approval to construct, acquire, or procure and extends the time frame by which such capacity must be met. Under the bill, (i) Appalachian Power shall petition the Commission for approval to construct, acquire, or procure at least 780 megawatts of short-duration energy storage capacity by 2040 and 520 megawatts of long-duration energy storage capacity by 2045 and (ii) Dominion Energy Virginia shall petition the Commission for approval to construct, acquire, or procure at least 16,000 megawatts of short-duration energy storage capacity by 2045 and 4,000 megawatts of long-duration energy storage capacity by 2045.
More detail
"Long-duration energy storage" and "short-duration energy storage" are defined in the bill. Under the bill, the Commission shall approve an independent auditor to help develop criteria for and to help review requests for proposals for new energy storage resources. The bill requires the Commission to conduct a technology demonstration program for long-duration energy storage resources and initiate a proceeding to determine if such technology is viable and that the targets in the bill are reasonably achievable, for which a final order shall be entered no later than March 1, 2031. Certain provisions of the bill are only effective upon such determination by the Commission. The bill requires the Department of Energy, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Fire Programs, to develop model ordinances suggested for use by localities in their regulation of energy storage projects by December 1, 2026. The bill directs the Commission to initiate a technical conference by September 1, 2026, to evaluate safety standards and practices for energy storage development. The bill also includes a provision authorizing the Commission to evaluate energy storage project proposals during annual petitions filed for the development of new renewable generation capacity. This bill is identical to SB 448.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 13Approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger-Chapter 694 (effective 7/1/2026)Became Law
- Apr 2Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB895)
- Mar 31Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 31Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026Minor
- Mar 31Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 30Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 30Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB895ER)Major
- Mar 30EnrolledMinor
- Mar 11Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB895)
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 11Senate substitute agreed to by House (68-Y 30-N 0-A)Major
- Mar 10Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 10Engrossed by Senate - committee substituteMajor
- Mar 10Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to
- Mar 10Read third timeMinor
- Mar 9Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 9Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Mar 9Rules suspended
- Mar 6Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Finance and Appropriations. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 3Committee substitute printed 26108942D-S1Major
- Mar 2Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 5-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 2Senate committee offered
- Feb 18Referred to Committee on Commerce and LaborMinor
- Feb 18Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Feb 17Read third time and passed House (65-Y 32-N 0-A)Passed House
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 16Engrossed by House - committee substituteMajor
- Feb 16committee substitute agreed toMajor
- Feb 16Read second timeMinor
- Feb 13Read first timeMinor
- Feb 13Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB895)
- Feb 11Reported from Appropriations (17-Y 5-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Reported from Appropriations. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 11Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 1-N)
- Feb 11Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural ResourcesMinor
- Feb 10Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute and referred to Appropriations (17-Y 5-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 10Committee substitute printed 26107210D-H1Major
- Feb 9Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB895)
- Feb 5Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (6-Y 2-N)Major
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 5House subcommittee offered
- Jan 22Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3Minor
- Jan 13Referred to Committee on Labor and CommerceMinor
- Jan 13Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104780DIntroduced